The Fallon Chronicles
by SapphireSphinxx
Summary: My very first story on here! Wish me luck and leave good criticisms! Thank you! :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Awakening

Cold air whipped through my hair and burned my eyes, causing tears to flow freely down my cheeks. I was on a snowy hilltop in what I presumed to be the middle of nowhere. More mountaintops rose up next to mine and circled a brightly lit valley. My clothing wasn't near warm enough for this kind of temperature so I made my way to the valley below with promises of food and shelter. I had never thought running away would be this difficult. I assumed pity would fight for me and people would think I was just an innocent poor girl asking for food. No such luck. Already, in the last town, the cops had been called due to people mistaking me for the esteemed "Hilltop Wrangler" who was vastly known for burglary. Luckily, I had escaped the government and continued on. Now, here I was: a runaway looking for hope with nothing but a little money and the clothes on her back. I slinked up to the first house I came to and peered in through its ornately decorated windows. In a spacious room sat at a large, oak table with a feast on it fit for a king. The sight made my mouth water. Assorted meats decorated with seasonings and gravy lined the border while steaming vegetables consumed the center. I knew this would be the house to obtain food from, willingly or unwillingly. I walked up to the huge wooden doors and rang the doorbell. A bald headed butler with a pushed up nose answered.

At the sight of me in tattered clothing he snarled, "What do you want?"

"Sir," I said, putting on my best innocent look. "Please spare me any food. I haven't eaten in two days, and I just ask for a meal."

"Ugh," he sneered. "Leave, you grimy peasant! I am NOT a charitable man and will not waste my time with the likings of you!"

"What is all this?" A sharply dressed man appeared next to him with an extraordinary white beard. "Who is this?" He gave me a curious, but kind, look.

"A peasant girl, sir. She came up not five minutes ago begging for food," the butler drawled, looking at me as well.

"And you said no? Why?" The bearded man demanded.

"Well, sir, I just thought you wouldn't want to be bothered by such a small trifle as a little girl."

"This is not just some little girl asking for food! This is a poor, innocent young lady trying to find help but gets the door shut on her face every time she tries! Now go clean the guest bedroom and have it ready for her in the next hour!" The butler narrowed his eyes and walked away muttering unpleasant things under his breath.

"Now," the man continued. "Let's get you some clothes and food shall we? I'm sure my daughter's clothes will fit you quite nicely."

He led me to the guest bedroom as the butler tidied up. It had a large, inviting bed with two bedside tables and a television at the base. The bathroom was located on the right side of the room and connected to the closet, which was where the man directed me.

"Ah, well, here we are! Just go ahead and choose whatever outfit you'd like and meet me downstairs in approximately ten minutes for dinner. Alright?"

I nodded and he continued on to say, "By the way, my name is Mr. V," before turning away and leaving me isolated. The closet was filled to the brim with clothes and I had no idea where to start looking. A whole portion of the wall was dedicated to shoes, while another was for jackets. The magnitude of it all was overwhelming. I finally found a simple burnt orange sweater with an elaborate pattern along the V-cut neckline and a pair of dark jeans. With luck still on my side, I tried on some black hiking boots and found that they fit. Then, to conclude my makeover, I washed my face and combed my hair in the bathroom. Now getting a good look at myself, I noticed how tanner my skin looked and how my already golden hair had lightened due to the sun, even the orange streak in my side bang looked almost blonde. More freckles dotted my nose and around my dark brown eyes that had small maroon flecks in them. My lips were chapped as well and I decided that Chap Stick would be a necessity. Upon finishing my clean up, I proceeded to walk downstairs to the man with a million questions.

He was sitting at the dining room table surrounded by four chairs with a plate of his own already prepared in front of him. My plate, located in front of the chair to the right of Mr. V., was full as well and I didn't notice any other plates which led me to believe he lived alone save for the butler and possibly a chef.

"Ah!" He clapped his hands upon seeing me and beckoned me over to join him. "Don't you look different? Wow, I could've sworn you were twelve! How old are you?"

"Sixteen, sir." I said as I sat down.

"Hmm," he cupped his chin with one of his hands. "And why would a sixteen year old want to run away? Forgive me if I am wrong, but you do come across as a delinquent of some sort."

I nodded. "You are correct in guessing that I am a runaway, but I don't think you would believe me if I told you why."

He gave me an interested look, clearly intrigued by the details that I was withholding from him. "This old man has heard a great deal. Trust me when I say I'm ninety percent positive that your story is not the craziest story I've ever heard."

"Ninety percent?"

"Well there is always that one small chance that it might very well just be the craziest story I've ever heard, but I doubt it will be. It's a risk you have to decide to take."

I decided to take it. "My name is Fallon Vidal. I was a happy girl, rich like you are and I had many things. I had a best friend, I had a car, I had a laptop, and I had everything I wanted. Then my father got fired one day, he was a manager at BP, and my mother wanted a divorce. Upon hearing this, my father and I realized she had only been married to him for money all along. She didn't even question about me. When he asked who wanted to take me, she just said, 'She was always yours.' Sh-She," I plowed on. "She left the next day." I took a breath.

"Well that doesn't sound crazy in the slightest!"

"I haven't gotten to the crazy part yet…." I pondered quickly over how I should explain things to him. "Over the past couple of years, I've been having strange outbursts. They especially seem to happen in fits of anger. Whenever I am hurt or upset, well, I-I feel heat rise up within me and then I expel it and a fire or a burn forms."

There was a heavy silence for a few minutes and then Mr. V asked, "Are you saying you believe you can control the element of fire?"

"I'm saying that there's strong evidence that states I might."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Truth

He sat silently again, chewing thoughts over carefully so not to miss a detail. I waited patiently, this man deserved to know the truth. His kindness had made him a valuable ally and he wasn't asking for much in return. Then a bright gleam twinkled in his eye and he reached inside his pocket for a cigar.

"Here, light this. Let's see if your powers are controllable." He held it out to me and I hesitantly took it. What if things went wrong?

"Look, Mr. V., I can't light this." I handed it back to him. He gave me a questioning look. "Last week, we were in a science lab for Chemistry which involved the Bunsen burners, and well, things didn't turn out for the better." I paused. "It's better off not trying it."

Mr. V. leaned forward and peered at me thoughtfully. "You're a truly sweet girl, you know that? But look, you can't live your life without knowing. What if you become upset? Don't you want to be able to control yourself?"

"Of course I do! And I will! My Chemistry teacher, Mrs. Lively, gave me a book filled with pages about another world where they learn to harness powers such as mine! If I can find this place, I won't be a danger!"

"And where is this book?"

"In the bedroom closet, I'll run and go get it."

When I returned, I found that Mr. V. had moved to the den and was sitting in a plush armchair next to a roaring fire in the fireplace. I stared at it and lost all sense. My focus was engulfed in the warm orange glow that beckoned me to come and fall asleep in its flaming coals.

"FALLON!" I shook myself. Mr. V. was watching me with an amused expression on his face. "Maybe she is some sort of pyrokinetic….." He mumbled to himself. "Ah! The book, let's have a look at it shall we?" His cigar was already lit and puffs of smoke escaped from his mouth between each word. I handed him the book. It was leather-bound and decorated in a moss green color with pale yellow pages. Mr. V. opened it, put on some glasses, and began to read the first page talking of some type of world called "The Spiral."

"The Spiral is a mystical universe in another realm parallel to our own except with magic. One of the worlds located there, Wizard City, contains a school called Ravenwood run by Merle Ambrose. In this one school are seven sub-schools: Fire, Storm, Life, Myth, Death, Ice, and Balance. Hmm," he grunted, closing the book.

"Is that all?" I asked, yearning to know more.

"I'm afraid so. The rest of the page is torn out."

"What about the other pages?" He re-opened the book, skimming through the fragile paper delicately.

"Seems to me like a bunch of gibberish talking about cows and frogs being teachers….."

"Hmm, that's inconveniently confusing. Does it say anything about students and how they know they should go there?"

He skimmed again, but this time, with more luck. "Aha! A student knows they are a wizard or witch when one of the seven's schools powers awaken in them."

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Sorry, there's only that one sentence."

"No symptoms? Or details of the schools? What was the point in giving me this book if none of it makes sense?" I threw my hands up in frustration. "Does it even tell me how I can get to The Spiral?"

"Yes!" Mr. V. exclaimed, pointing at a page in the book.

"Ha, no it doesn't! See? This book is a good for nothing- wait, it does?"

"Yes! Come have a look!" I rushed over to his side and looked over his shoulder as he read aloud.

"In order to obtain passage to The Spiral, the student must find a portal in one of the many hidden wizard cities and successfully open it. Should a portal be sealed, the student will have to search for another one. See page 39 for map of portal locations." Mr. V. flipped to page 39 to find…..nothing. "Well, sweetie, I hate to break it to you but it seems that page 39 has been stolen."

I walked over and plunked myself down on the white leather couch. "I have no lead." I said as I put my head in my hands. "Where am I going to start? I have no idea where a portal could be!"

Mr. V. put the book down and gazed at me over his glasses. "I might know where you can find another wizard. Now it's not a portal, but he may be able to help."

"Where?"

"He's in Nevada, Vegas to be exact. I saw him on the news last night and he seemed a little out of the ordinary. He was caught sneaking into a swimming pool with a group of friends in the middle of the night. His name's Roman, No last name was mentioned."

I hesitated. "He sounds like some popular jerk, not a wizard."

Mr. V. nodded. "Yes, but if you saw him, you would think differently." I gave him another look. "Just trust me on this one, alright?"

I nodded and said, "Nevada is what? A three week walk? I can make it."

"What?" Mr. V. had a bewildered look on his face. "You, young lady, will NOT be walking to Nevada for three weeks in the blistering cold! I will arrange for you to take a plane and give you some money to help you get along. Also, go ahead and pack some of my daughter's old clothes, she'll never wear them again anyways." He waved his hand as if is daughter was the least of his worries.

Surprising both Mr. V. and myself, I jumped up and hugged him. Tears started flowing and I whispered into his ear, "You have no idea just how nice you are, sir."

He hugged me back and then told me to run off to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Sin City

I woke up early the next morning and packed Mr. V.'s daughter's clothes, choosing warm sweaters and thick pants to protect my body from the cold. Mr. V. had arranged a flight for me that morning, first class. I realized then that I trusted this man far too much, but I couldn't help it. Mr. V. was one of those people that could easily be entrusted. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if strangers came up to him, spilling out their life stories while he patiently listened. I decided that I would try to be like Mr. V., focusing on others rather than myself.

I had literally just zipped my, or rather Mr. V.'s daughter's, suitcase when he called me downstairs to leave. He waited at the doorway, hand behind his back. I stopped in front of him as the butler took my suitcase outside to the awaiting limousine.

"Now Fallon, I know I just met you last night, but for some reason, you have really touched me. Here," he lifted my hand and placed two cards in it: one a business card and one a credit card.

"I-I can't take a cred-"

He cut me off with a wave of his hand. "I trust you with it. It makes me feel better knowing you're out there with money if you ever shall need it. Also, the second card is my business card. Please write me! I'd love to hear from you and keep in touch!" I nodded and Mr. V. bent down to hug me, his beard tickling my face. "Good luck, child."

I walked to the limo solemnly, I would miss him.

The drive to the airport wasn't nearly as bad as I'd expected. We passed by beautiful snowy mountains standing out against the cloudless blue sky. Hawks passed by overhead and soon, airplanes flew with them.

"Here we are, Miss." The driver said as he gently slowed the car. When we came to a stop, he helped me with my bags and opened the door for me. People stared as I got out and I felt very out of place. We entered the busy building and my driver, Benjamin, ushered me to the exit I would be taking.

"You go ahead and find your seat. I'll load your luggage for you." He hurried away and I gave my ticket to the attendant and boarded the plane. Each seat stood in its own row and was bordered with a wall for privacy. Most of the cubicles were empty so it was a simple matter of finding mine. When I finally did, I was pleased to see that it was plush and warm, with plenty of room. There was even a small flat screen television and a small bar of soft drinks. Once I was situated and comfortable in my bouncy, plush recliner, a stewardess asked if anything was needed. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, I ordered a gourmet meal of chicken parmesan, risotto rice cake, and broccoli with red pepper and sparkling apple cider as my beverage. She nodded and went to give my order to the head chef. As I waited, I flipped through the channels of the TV and settled on an old soap opera from the 1930s. The stewardess came back almost fifteen minutes later with a steaming tray of Italian food. My mouth watered simply looking at it. A makeshift table was stretched before me and the food placed upon it. As soon as the flight attendant was out of sight, I gulped down the delicious cuisine. The chicken was extraordinary in its entire juicy splendor and the broccoli even had a nice taste to it. The rice was spicy and I had to drink several sips of cider to cool my tongue. Finally, I was finished. With my belly full, I leaned back in my chair and fell asleep on its soft cushions.

The plane landed silently and the flight attendant awoke me with the shake of my shoulder. I thanked her and walked through the main pathway off of the plane. It took all my willpower to keep myself from turning back and flying back to Mr. V. I could have this life all the time if I just stayed with him, but I knew that I had to find Ravenwood. With it, I could unveil what truly was happening in my life. I went into the crowded airport and located my luggage. As I walked outside I saw a tall man with my name on a sign. I approached him and he regarded me with a casual look.

"Fallon Vidal?" I nodded my head. "Hmm, well then, let's be off." I followed him out to yet another limousine where he opened the door and I hopped in. He put my suitcase into the trunk and slid easily into the driver's seat. Looking at me in the rearview mirror with curious, hazel eyes, he said, "Mr. V has already told me where you are staying so we can go there if you would like or we can go somewhere else."

I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees. Where could we even begin to look for Roman?

"Have you ever sought someone out? Someone you hadn't ever met before and had no idea where they could be?" I asked the driver, whose name was Laurence according to an operating license stuck on the dashboard.

He blinked, then said, "Who are you seeking, Ms. Vidal?"

I hesitated for only a second before saying, "His name is Roman. He's a teenager who was on the news a couple of nights ago for breaking into a hotel swimming pool and that's all I know about him." _Oh, and he might be a wizard, like me._

Laurence shook his head. "Never heard of him. But if you say he's a teen, then maybe check out the local schools?"

I considered this and decided it would be the best option. "To the nearest high school then."

Laurence revved up the engine and then took off into the traffic.

Seven schools later, we were still empty handed. None had heard of a kid named Roman. With one school left, I prayed for a miracle. We pulled into the parking lot and I walked to the front doors while Laurence waited in the limo. A sign on the front read, "Sorry! We're closed today! Please come by again next week!"

I groaned. "Next week? I don't have that kind of patience! I need to know now!" I slammed the doors with all my might and they swung open easily. With a glance around me, I scurried into the main office and turned on a computer with a trusty brand name. After successfully hacking onto the main screen, I pulled up the student folder and searched. Ten minutes later, I came up with nothing. This couldn't be possible! Was the guy home schooled? Did he drop out? With anger growing in me, I slammed my fist onto the keyboard and started throwing it around, crushing in its keys and distorting the whole figure. Rage poured out of me and I felt myself heat up. Tapping into the heat, I released it and watched as fire flew past my eyes and into the room, setting the monitors and desks aflame. Realization struck me, and the heat drained out of me, along with my energy. I ran out of the school with what little willpower I had left and found the limousine. Seeing my slumped form in the back seat, Laurence asked what had happened. I told him Roman didn't exist.

"Nonsense! You can't give up just because of some dropout or home schooler! Come on, what was the hotel he broke into?"

I hadn't even considered contacting the hotel. "Um, I believe it was called the Bellagio. Does that sound familiar?"

Laurence nodded his head and started the car. As we drove, I looked back at the school to see a pillar of smoke escaping through the cracks in the walls.

Guilt welled up inside of me while we pulled up into the hotel parking lot. I had just burned down thousands of dollars and had no way to repay it. On top of that, we still had no lead on Roman. This boy was hard to find. I had a feeling he didn't want to be found. Laurence parked the limousine and walked with me into the polished hotel lobby. A doorman with a fake smile greeted us. We walked to the main desk where I asked about the boy who had broken in.

"Oh, yes, he stays here. His uncle happens to be the owner. Because of this, the little brat thinks he can get away with anything. In my opinion, Mr. Bellagio is a bit of a softy. He didn't even ground Roman! But he did give him a bit of a lecture; had Roman in a fit of rage it did. Now Roman's gone off and is nowhere to be found. The little pest is probably running around causing trouble for the whole lot of us!" An elderly old woman with soft eyes and a wrinkled face answered. According to her nametag, her name was Betty.

"And you have no idea as to where he could be?"

She pondered it over for a moment. "Well, he sometimes goes to the local Chinese restaurant, The Twin Dragons, during lunch. I hear he's got a couple of little ladies up there that he likes to 'keep up with.' A little player, that boy is."

I smiled. This woman was likeable. "Thank you, Betty. You've been more help than you realize."

"Why thank you, but as it is my duty having practically raised him, I must know why you want to know so much about Roman."

"I am currently helping my father with research on behavioral problems within young teens and, because Roman was on the news, he caught our eye."

"Oh! Then, by all means, ask away. He really is a troubled boy."

We thanked her again and walked through the doors and I stopped in front of the doorman. He peered up at me with miserable eyes. He clearly loathed his job. I felt around in my pockets for some cash and to my liking, found a twenty dollar bill.

"Here," I said, pressing the bill into his palm. "You've got to be a pretty awesome guy if you can stand to do a job like this every day. Thank you for what you do." He smiled and accepted the cash graciously, his eyes no longer miserable. As we walked out, a thought occurred to me.

"Laurence, can't we just stay here? We might score a bit of luck if Roman comes back tonight!"

He pondered the idea for a moment then nodded his head. We walked back to Betty.

"Room for one please," I said, tapping the desk.

My room was very spacious with a water bed against the far wall and a balcony overlooking the city. There was a small bar and a huge flat screen TV with a stereo system underneath it. The place itself must have cost thousands of dollars. I knew I probably wouldn't be staying there for long though so I enjoyed what I could. Considering it was almost seven o'clock, Laurence and I decided on relaxing the rest of the day. We were sick of driving/riding around. So Laurence went home to his family and I stayed alone in my room. Being alone made me miss my father dearly; not so much my mother. I still didn't understand how she could just drop me for money. I was her daughter! Weren't children supposed to mean the world to their parents? I meant nothing to her. My hands started to tingle and heat began to flow into me for a second time that day. _NO! _I internally screamed to myself. I took my mind off of my mother and began to think of my father again. I thought of his soft brown eyes and jet black hair. Immediately, the fire within me subsided and I breathed a sigh of relief. Ready for the day to end, I went to bed.

Roman hadn't come back the previous night. No one knew where he was and his uncle was really worried. That's, at least, what I heard. I never actually saw Mr. Bellagio, but according to Betty, he was the sweetest, most-caring boss she had ever been fortunate to come across. I knew how Roman felt though. It doesn't matter how sweet and caring anyone was, they still weren't your parents. I briefly wondered what happened to Roman's parents. I decided to ask Betty.

"Oh yes, his mother died at childbirth and his father wasn't ever really sure what to do with him, he wasn't the parenting type you see, so he gave Roman to his brother."

_Ouch_, I thought. A _good parent would have never given up their child. They would have at least tried to raise him or her_. I nodded and left her, preparing myself to go to the Twin Dragons. I donned a dark pair of jeans with a deep red sweater. Trying to look presentable, I washed my face and ran my fingers through my hair. Pleased with my work, considering I had no makeup on me, I called Laurence and met him in front of the hotel thirty minutes before noon. We were going to the Twin Dragons.


End file.
